Dead Men's Shoes Volume 2 Chapter 17 - Bitter Almonds

In which Sibyl Faunthorpe endures the unwelcome and unrelenting attentions of Joel Pilgrim at Lancaster Lodge, whilst her uncle Stephen Trenchard’s health declines under the shadow of impending loss and societal expectation. Amidst whispered gossip and uneasy familial ties, Sibyl finds a fleeting refuge in the company of her sisters, whose lively chatter contrasts starkly with the growing gloom that envelopes her days.